


Mirror Mirror

by irlmagicalgirl



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Gen, Halloween, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 04:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4005352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irlmagicalgirl/pseuds/irlmagicalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes you can watch your worst nightmare come to life in front of you</p><p>And there is nothing you can do about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mirror Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Born from an that James and Sirius used the two-way mirrors to keep an eye on each other during the war. Events are shaped around the idea.

            Sirius Black rocked back and forth on the arm chair he had been finding himself in more and more frequently in Remus Lupin's flat. Overall, they felt safer near each other - particularly with the war picking up speed. After all, Sirius thought it was best that he be able to watch over Remus. He feared that the Order put his friend's condition on the back burner because there were bigger problems at hand, but Sirius found that Remus's lycanthropy was only going to be worse to deal with under such high levels of stress. Sirius had besides taken it up as his personal duty to make sure Remus took his Wolfbane potion when he needed it. He would never say so, but he didn't trust Remus to look after himself as well as he thought he could.

            "Sirius, you need to sleep," Remus insisted lifting his head up from where he lay on his tattered sofa. "You've been looking dreadful lately."

            "You're one to talk, Moony," Sirius mumbled as he yawned. "Look, I'll sleep when they do, yeah?" He lifted the mirror he held in his hand and waved it around.

            During their school days, the two-way mirrors had assisted Sirius and James with their foolhardy endeavors and detention communication. It had been a simpler time. Now, both James and Sirius made it a habit to fall asleep with the mirrors, intent on keeping a close eye on one another. James found it for the best that Sirius stick around Remus as much as possible as well, insisting that Peter visit often as well to check up on them. They both agreed, however, that a dog was a dog's best company, and Peter already had plenty on his hands as the Potters' Secret Keeper. While his responsibility was little known, Peter did seem generally in more danger than Remus and Sirius.

            While both James and Lily took great comfort in checking on their friends, Remus and Sirius were both a bit more concerned with checking in on the couple - Sirius, especially. Remus assured Sirius at least once a night that they would be fine, and that the two wouldn't vanish if he just glanced away for a second, but Sirius insisted on holding on to the mirror until James and Lily went to bed each night.

            "They aren't asleep yet?" Remus asked. "Should be soon, it seems late for them."

            "It's Halloween. They wanted Harry up to see the muggles doing their...muggle business. The candy thing. Not entirely sure he appreciated the festivities. He was crying a bit at the end. Some muggle kid's get-up scared him. Poor thing. Doesn't even know what's to be afraid of in our world yet."

            "Chocolate'll be on sale tomorrow, then," Remus mumbled.

            "We'll go tomorrow and get some. Promise."

            Sirius glanced at the mirror once more. Lily took a piece of muggle candy from Harry's mouth and gathered him up, informing James that she was taking their son to bed. She kissed the top of her husband's messy head and headed up the stairs.

            "There. Lily's taking the tyke to bed. I think she and James are going to sleep once she comes back down."

            "So you'll get some rest now?" Remus asked. His eyes were already shutting.

            "...Yeah. Yeah, I'll sleep."

            "They'll be fine, yeah? He doesn't know where they are."

            "Yeah, they'll be fine."

            Sirius began to doze off in the chair, his mirror resting on his chest. Remus had already drifted to sleep, and Sirius realized just how exhausted he was once he let go of his inhibitions.

            Just as he was reaching a dreamy state, lulled by Remus's gentle snores, the piercing sound of his own name forced him to jolt upright.

            " _Sirius!_ "

            He roused immediately, rubbing his eyes and fumbling for his mirror.

            " _He's here!_ "

            James shouted the statement up the stairs to Lily, but Sirius knew it was meant just as much for he and Remus to hear. Sirius bolted from the chair, shaking Remus's shoulder desperately. James continued to shout up to Lily who remained upstairs with Harry, but Sirius found he could not focus on what was being shouted at Godric's Hollow.  The image of James scrambling for his wand and taking a defensive position was hyper-real, but the sound was like running water, hardly registering comprehensibly to Sirius's shocked ears.

            "Christ, Padfoot-"   

            "He's there, Moony, he's there. Get up _now_."

            "The hell are you on about, Pads?" Remus remained mildly incoherent, sleep still in his eyes.

            "God damn it, _You-Know-Who_. He's _there_ , _now_ , at Prong's place!"

            Suddenly registering, Remus shot upright, eyes wide. " _Bloody_ fuck, you're joking."

            Sirius shoved the mirror over to Remus, showing him the all too real image of James in a battle stance at the foot of his own stairs.

            " _Shit_. How- wait. Then... _Wormtail_."

            "He _has_ to be dead, Moony. Has to be. You-Know-Who wouldn't know otherwise. Dead or insane. You-Know-Who had to have tortured the _hell_ out of Peter for the location. There's no other way, how else would he have known?"

            "Shit, I-"

            "Moony, there's no _bloody_ time. We can mourn Peter later, it's done. We have to fucking _go_."

            By the time he had said this, they were already at the door. Remus slid on his house shoes, tattered robe thrown over his night clothes. Sirius has fallen asleep in the clothes he had worn that day, but rushed out of the house barefoot.

            "Padfoot-"

            "No _time_ , Moony!"

            "Padfoot, we're not going to make it.  If he's already there- "

            " _We're taking the damn bike, let's go,_ " Sirius growled, reaching for where his vehicle was parked outside Remus's flat.

            "Prongs will hold him off, Sirius! He's been training for this! We're never going to make it to be any help."

            "We have to _try_. We have to be there. You-Know-Who got passed Peter. He's going to turn them into _ragdolls_."

            Sirius stared intensely at the mirror, haphazardly holding on to his bike and trying to start it with one hand, neither of which he could do well with how badly he was shaking. Remus rested a hand on Sirius's shoulder, attempting to steady him, though _his_ hand was shaking just as badly. He was no less terrified for the fate of their best friends -simply more aware of the fact that there was nothing to be done at that point.

            " _Avada Kedavra!_ "

            The curse echoed through the mirror.

            " _No!_ "

            Sirius dropped to his knees, unable to support his own weight any longer, and Remus inevitably dropped with him, glancing at the mirror. James lay like a mangled doll at the bottom of the staircase, glasses askew and one leg bent at an impossible angle, as a hooded figure glided over him.

            " _No_ , no. This...th-this isn't real," Remus stammered.

            " _James_."

            "Lily... _the boy_. He's going for  Lily and Harry. Sirius, he's..."

            Sirius left the mirror in Remus's hands, jumping back up and hopping on the bike.

            "I'll take care of it," he said stoically, starting the bike up. His grey eyes were stormy and his face unreadable. Somehow, Remus knew that Sirius had come to terms with the lack of hope. He was going to take care of their friends' bodies - not the Dark Lord.

            "I-I'll go with you!" Remus choked out, eyes full of tears. " _Wait!_ _Padfoot!_ "

            But Sirius had flown off already.

            Remus took a last look at his best friend in the mirror, limp and lifeless.  He couldn't help but notice how young James looked then. He _was_ young. It was hard to remember that they were only 21. They were still _children_. It was hard to remember as their world was in a time where children were forced to be adults, simply in order to defend themselves.

            Remus dropped the mirror gently between his knees and, feeling as helpless as James looked, lowered his head into his hands and sobbed.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a tumblr: [X](https://www.irlmagicalgirl.tumblr.com)


End file.
